Final answer:
Cognitive distortions, specifically negative attributions about one's self and experiences, account for the longer duration of depression compared to learned helplessness effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The longer duration of depression compared to the effects of learned helplessness is accounted for by factors such as cognitive distortions, as per the reformulated learned helplessness model by Abramson, Seligman, and Teasdale. These cognitive distortions include an individual's negative attributions, which are their interpretations of why events occur. For instance, if someone consistently interprets failures as due to unchangeable, personal defects (internal, stable, and global attributions), they are more likely to experience prolonged periods of depression. Cognitive distortions contribute to a persistent sense of hopelessness and to the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms, accounting for the longer duration of depression.